


I'm Sorry

by shadow_baby



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords
Genre: M/M, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-12
Updated: 2015-08-12
Packaged: 2018-04-14 09:42:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4559850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadow_baby/pseuds/shadow_baby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It took years before Vio found a way to bring Shadow back. Shadow finally feels again.</p><p>Inspired by <a href="http://atozmomentum.tumblr.com/post/80448409361/ohh-this-is-so-natsukashi">this</a> and <a href="http://kaenith.tumblr.com/post/125949037493/haaaa-well-that-got-away-from-me-and-can-no-longer">this</a>!</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'm Sorry

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [this](http://atozmomentum.tumblr.com/post/80448409361/ohh-this-is-so-natsukashi) and [this](http://kaenith.tumblr.com/post/125949037493/haaaa-well-that-got-away-from-me-and-can-no-longer)!

Once the Dark Mirror was smashed and he faded away, Shadow knew no more. Even immediately after it was destroyed, he had already begun to feel his memories fading and his personality dying. The Dark Mirror gave him life. A name. Character. It made a simple, mere shadow feel emotion and have a persona different from what he was supposed to be. It made him... Shadow.

But now it was destroyed, and he didn’t have that anymore. Shadow was once again an insignificant shadow. He couldn’t feel or hear or touch or smell, or _anything_. He just watched. And copied.

Sometimes, though... sometimes he hears again. A voice. Several voices. There’s always something different about them. They way they talk. Why they talk.

The first one to talk to him, to make him _feel_ again, if only for a brief moment, was mad. He was angry, and he was angry at him. He blamed Shadow for... something. Someone else was depressed and sad and it was all Shadow’s fault. It was a light being that yelled at him, and it made him feel... angry. Sad. Pity. Hate. It was a bundle of emotions and it had taken Shadow so suddenly that he no longer mirrored his light and made his own movement. The first one was shocked. But he was no longer angry, only shocked. And that made Shadow happy.

The second one to talk to him was bubbly and always seemed happy. He jumped around a lot and made very gesticulated hand movements all the time. He told Shadow about his day and what had happened. Sometimes Shadow could hear him, sometimes he couldn’t. A lot of the time, he had no idea that he was talking to him, and there were only muddled sounds that Shadow didn’t understand. Shadow liked the second one when he was happy. But sometimes, he was sad. He was sad and angry and embarrassed and he cried. Shadow didn’t like it when he cried. It made him feel sad, and he didn’t like feeling sad.

The third one to talk to him seemed like a mix between the first and the second. He also talked about his day and about a... girl? A princess? Royalty? That was an important person, he was sure... He talked about the royal person _a lot_. He also talked about the first and the second one as well, and about someone else who had yet to talk to him. Shadow knew he was there, though, even though he never talked. The third one always seemed worried about Shadow and about the other three, but never about himself. It felt nice to be cared about.

The last one to talk to him was crying. Shadow wasn’t sure why, but he was sobbing and sad and drinking something and throwing papers away and he made _Shadow_ sad as well. He babbled on about how he was so close but so far and how he missed him so much and he couldn’t take it anymore. That was the second time Shadow moved on his own. A small wiggle with a flail of the arms. It made the last one stop crying. It made him drink less and work more, but sleep less as well. Shadow wanted him to sleep. He felt tired and exhausted and unhappy and worried and _so many emotions that Shadow didn’t recognize_. But the last one was close to something. He wasn’t sure what, but it was something. 

There was one night where all four of them talked to him at once. They all stood together and made him feel so _strong and united and one_ and he didn’t know why. They all talked to him and made him feel so much. He felt overpowered and tired and why didn’t they just sleep? He was so tired. They were so tired. 

Shadow didn’t want them to go to sleep.

He felt so _alive_ and he knew that it was because they were doing this.

The four - _names? they had names he was sure_ \- all chanted the same thing - _colors they were named after colors_ \- and the last one who talked to him reached a hand forward and _into him_. Vio- Vio was his name.

Shadow felt something. It was... soft. Fragile. It was like he could break it with a single touch. So he didn’t dare try and hold it back.

Vio - _his name his name! He remembered his name!_ \- took his hand anyways, entwining their fingers and pulling him _up up up he went_. Shadow could feel himself floating. 

Then everything was bright and white and _ow ow ow this hurt he didn’t like it put him back put him back-!!_

There was a sobbing noise, and it took Shadow a moment to realize that it came from him. He clung to Vio tightly, weakly, strongly, like he was a lifeline, burrowing his face into his neck. It was so bright and he didn’t like it turn it off _turn it off!_

Vio made a series of sounds that Shadow didn’t quite understand at first. Was he talking? Was that what it sounded like out of the shadows? The lights were suddenly gone, right after Vio spoke, and Shadow felt at ease. He slumped against Vio, ears back and eyes squeezed shut.

“...dow... Sha... ad... adow... _Shadow_!”

Shadow snapped his eyes open with a strangled gasp, vision suddenly filled with an ocean of blue. “Wha-” his voice came out croaky and rough, having not used it in... how long was it? Months? Years? He scrunched his face up and turned away to gag and cough dryly. _Ow_ , that hurt Nayru _damnit_.

A jug was pressed to his lips and cool liquid slid down his throat. He inhaled sharply through his nose. Oh, by the Three, that was _cold cold cold it hurt it hurt so much._

Shadow greedily grabbed the jug and downed it, despite the protests he heard. It felt so _good_ ; he didn’t care that it hurt. At least half of the water - it had to have been the best thing he’d ever tasted! - didn’t make it to his mouth, but he didn’t care. It just felt so damn _good_.

The same soft hand that pulled him up wrapped around his own hand once more, pulling the half-empty jug away from him, earning a soft whine. No no _no_ , don’t take it, he wanted it!

“...S-Shadow...”

His name. That was his name. He had a name and a personality again and he wasn’t just a shadow any more- He was... he was _real_. He was _Shadow Link_.

A shaky hand reached up, caressing Shadow’s cheek softly and turning his head to face the purple clad hero. “Shadow I...” The hand shook and before he knew it, his face was pressed against Vio’s neck again. “I’m so _sorry_.”

Shadow blinked, but it came natural to him to mimic Vio and hug him back. He closed his eyes, embracing the warmth that he gave off and relaxing against him. “Aw, Vi...” he murmured softly, voice still rough even after drinking all that water. “I should be the one sayin’ that...”

“No, please... I’m so sorry...” Vio shut his eyes as well, shaking his head. “You didn’t deserve that; you didn’t deserve any of that. Even after... even after I betrayed you, you still _did_ that for us. I’m sorry I hurt you. I’m sorry it took _this_ long to get you back. I can’t even express how s-sorry I am...”

Shadow reluctantly pulled away from the hug and held Vio’s cheeks in his hands with the smallest of frowns. “Vi... Ya brought me back. I’m here ‘cause ‘a ya, ‘n I honestly can’t thank ya ‘nough fer what ya did...” he brushed his thumb across Vio’s cheek and smiled. “‘N fer what ya did before... Well ta be fair I did try ta kill ya as well, didn’t I? I think we’re pretty even on that... ‘n even if ya dun believe me, ‘s all in the past. Ya paid me back by bringin’ me back, ‘n that’s more than enough.”

It took Vio a bit before he smiled back, nodding with a shaky sigh.

He was so _beautiful_ when he smiled.

Shadow would make that his new goal in life. _Life! He had a life again!_ He would make Vio smile, and make him happy, whatever it took. This was a good start. Vio wrapped his arms around Shadow again and pulled him into another hug. Shadow let him, pressing the smallest of kisses to his forehead.

Light and dark.

Darkness and brightness.

Hero and villain.

Shadow and Vio.

He felt perfect in Vio’s arms. Perfect and at peace. Everything was suddenly right in the world. And Shadow felt once again.

He felt... happy. At peace. Comforted. Shadow felt _love._

**Author's Note:**

> Ahaaa wow this is short and I'm sorry quq


End file.
